Paper feeding device for wrapping machines



Jan. 3, 1956 1.. BROOK PAPER FEEDING DEVICE FOR WRAPPING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 3, 1953 Jan. 3, 1956 1.. BROOK PAPER FEEDING DEVICE FOR WRAPPING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 3, 1953 NVENTOIQ fl m 621,; M @1 10- Jan; 3, 1956 BROOK PAPER FEEDING DEVICE FOR WRAPPING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 3, 1953 #rmmrzys United States Patent PAPER FEEDING DEVIQE FOR WRAPPHQG MA QHINES eonard Brook, Beeston, Leeds, England, assigtior to The Forgrove Machinery Company Lltmlifiti, Leon's, land, a company of Great Britain Application February 3, 1953, Seriai No. 334,799

Claims priority, application Great Britain February'18, 1952 Claims. (Cl. 53-155) This invention relates to wrapping machines of the type comprising an elevator for lifting articles in succession into a wrapping mechanism, and a picker for feeding wrappers in succession into position above the elevator so that a wrapper will be carried with each article into the wrapping mechanism by the elevator.

In such machines the wrapper is timed to arrive in position above the elevator just as the article on the elevator commences its upward journey. Immediately the top of the article reaches the wrapper (the Wrapper usually being nipped in this position by a top finger exercising pressure on the top of the article) it is necessary for the picker to open to release the wrapper and immediately to retire some little distance so that the wrapper may ascend with a minimum of interference from the ends of the picker. Such an arrangement is described in detail in my co-pending United States application Serial No. 283,332, new U. S. Patent No. 2,676,441.

It is, however, usually found that when increased speeds are sought, the very quick retiring motion of the picker movement, which is followed immediately by the long forward movement to position to collect the next wrapper, becomes objectionable and the object of the present invention is to providea mechanism which obviates the necessity for moving the whole and somewhat weighty picker movement back out of the way of the wrapper and imparts such movement only to the top jaw of the picker.

This is very much lighter and is, of course, the only portion of the picker movement which interferes with the ascending wrapper at this particular time. i

The invention provides a wrapping machine of the above type, in which the picker comprises a bottom jaw and a top jaw mounted on the bottom jaw, and comprising mechanism for reciprocating the bottom jaw in asubstantially horizontal path, and mechanism operative on the top jaw to close it when the picker is at the forward end of its path and to open itand also to retract it in relation to the bottom jaw when the picker is at the rearward end of its path and the article has risen into contact with the wrapper.

In one arrangement according to the invention, the top jaw of the picker is mounted on a link pivoted at its opposite ends to the top and bottom jaws, and has an extension extending rearwardly from the link, the extension engaging a crank pin which is rotatable to impart to the top jaw opening movement accompanied by rearward movement in relation to the bottom jaw.

One specific. embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the corresponding drawings. The drawings show the invention applied to a picker movement of the kind described in United States application Serial No. 283,332. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is also applicable to wrapping machines in which the picker is actuated by mechanism other than that described in United States application Serial No. 283,332.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the picker movement, showing the picker fully retracted and dipped, the picker jaws being closed,

Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to'Fig. 1, but showing the parts in the position which they assume when the picker jaws have opened, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a wrapping machine embodying the picker movement shown in Figs. 1-3.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the figures.

-Turning first of all to Figure 4, a web 10 of heat sealing material is periodically fed by the picker 20 (Figs. l-3) as later described from the reel 11 over rollers 12, 13 and past a pair of cutting knives. These knives (which are not shown in Fig. 4) operate periodically as more fully described in United States application Serial No. 282,139 to sever the wrapper from the leading edge of the web. The knives are caused to open by upward movement of an actuating member 16 (Fig. 4)

against the action of a spring 17, this movement being imparted to a member 16 by. a cam-operated arm 18. Thereafter the member 16 descends, under the action of the spring 17, to allow the knives to close and sever the web. A second reel 111 of wrapper is provided for use when the reel 11 is exhausted.

The articles 15 (Fig. 3) to be wrapped are fed by hand from a hopper=19 (Fig. 4) into recesses 21 (Fig. 3) in a horizontal feed disc 22, disposed below the wrapper feed level, which is intermittently rotated. As each recess 21 dwells beneath the cut wrapper, a lifting plunger 23 (Fig. 1) rises to lift the tablet out of the recess, the plunger being actuated by a cam-operated arm 24 (Fig. 4) as described more fully in United States application Serial No. 283,333, now U. S. Patent No.

2,679,765, and'steadied by a link 25. As the tablet is lifted from the recess it carries the cut wrapper with it through an annular brush or other folding device of known type contained in a member 26 (Fig. 4) and into a pair of grippers 27 on a carrier head 28, a cam-operated top plunger 29 having previously descended through the brush and serving to press the wrapper against the tablet during its transit through the brush and into the gripper jaws. The gripper jaws 27 are cam operated and open to allow the article to enter them and'thereafter .close to grip the article prior to recession of the lifting and top plungers. A cam operated first folder (not shown) then moves across the base of the tablet to fold'part of the depending wrapper against it. The carrier head 28, which is intermittently rotated about a vertical axis by a Geneva mechanism, then carries the tablet on to a heating station. the tablet moving across a fixed folder plate 30 which folds the remaining dependent portion of the wrapper against its base. The wrapping of the articles is completed on the carrier head 28, as described in United States applications Serial Nos. 283,334, now U. S. Patent No. 2,643,500; 284,995, now U. S. Patent No. 2,639,568; and 284,996, and the wrapped articles are discharged down a chute 1%. V

The picker movement shown in Figs. 1-3 serves to carry wrappers 14 in succession into position above the elevator 23.

The picker 20 moves forwardly with its jaws open, to.

are opened as shown in Fig. 3, freeing the wrapper for upward movement with the article into the wrapping mechanism. When the elevator 23 has descended below the path of the picker feed, the picker is restoredto its normal level and is moved forward-again to collect another Wrapper.

The mechanisms for imparting movement to the elevator 23, the feed disc 22 and the top plunger 29 are described in United States application Serial No. 283,332. The mechanisms for imparting reciprocating and dipping movements to the picker and for opening and closing its top jaw 31 will be described later.

The bottom jaw 32 of the picker is pivoted, by studs 33, 38 respectively, to the upper ends of a lever 34 and a link 36. Substantially rectilinear reciprocating movement is communicated to the picker by means of a'bell crank 57 which is rocked to and fro about a shaft 56 by a cam-operated mechanism as described in United States application Serial No. 283,332. It will suffice here to explain that the lower arm of the bell crank 57 is coupled by an adjustable slide block 58 (Fig. 4) to a driving lever 54 mounted on a rocking shaft 51, which is periodically rocked by a cam (not shown) to oscillate the bell crank 57.

A catch 89 (Fig. 1), pivoted at 91 to the lever 34, has a nose 92 normally held by a spring 93 in engagement with a notch 94 in the rear face of the bell crank 57 and so imparts driving movement from the bell crank 57 to the lever 34 and so reciprocates the picker. If, however, there should be an obstruction to forward movement of the picker, the nose 92 of the catch 89 will be forced out of the notch 94, thereby allowing the bell crank 57 to complete its forward stroke without driving the lever 34. On the return stroke of the bell crank, the catch 89 will be returned'by the spring 93 and re-engage the notch 94 to re-establish the driving connection between the bell crank 57 and the lever 34. At the completion of the rearward stroke of the picker, a shaft 82 is rocked clockwise by the wrapper-dipping earn, as described in United States application Serial No. 283,332, to the position shown in Fig. 1. An arm 83 on the shaft 82 has a slot 85 engaging a pin 84 on a link 86 coupled to a lever 87, connected to the link 36 and pivoted at 88 to the machine frame. Clockwise rotation of the shaft 82 thus raises the link 36 to dip the picker, about the pin 33, to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. After the picker jaws have opened, as later described, the shaft 82 is rocked anticlockwise to return the picker jaws to the level shown in chain dotted lines in Fig. l. The picker then commences its forward stroke.

The top jaw 31 of the picker is attached, by a stud 45 and dowels 43 to an extension arm 44 and to a bracket 41 (Fig. 2). A link 46 is connected at its opposite ends by studs 47, 48 to the bracket 41 and to the bottom jaw 32 of the picker respectively. The arm 24 has a hole in which is received a crank pin 49 mounted on a shaft 50 journalled in the bottom jaw of the picker and carrying a gear wheel 52. A spring 53 tends to maintain the upper jaw 31 closed and is able to do so when the crank pin 49 occupies the position shown in Fig. 1 in which it is level with and forward of the shaft 50.

The gear wheel 52 is engaged by rack teeth 55 on the rear end of an arm 61 pivoted by a pin 59 to the bottom jaw of the picker. A pin 60 connects the arm 61 to the upper end of a link 42. The link 42 is connected at its lower end by a pin 90 to an arm 71 fixed to the shaft 70. The upper and lower ends of the link 42 are respectively in substantial alignment with the pivot centre at the upper end of the lever 34 for reciprocating the picker and with the fulcrum (i. e. the axis of the shaft 56) about which the lever 34 is rocked.

When the elevator 23 rises to the position shown in Fig. 3 the shaft 70 is rocked clockwise by a cam, as described in United States application Serial No. 283,332, thereby lowering the link 42 and-rocking the arm 61 clockwise about the pin 59. This rotates the gear wheel 52 anti-clockwise, thereby moving the crank pin 49 downwardly and rearwardly through 90 to a position beneath the shaft 50, as shown in Fig. 3. The result is that the top jaw 31 of the picker is first raised away from the bottom jaw 32 and then moved rearwardly in relation thereto to the position shown in Fig. 3. After the picker has returned to its forward position, the shaft is rocked back to raise the link 42 and return the arm 61 and crank pin 49 to position to close the top jaw 31 of the picker.

The cam for opening and closing the picker serves to rock the shaft 66 (Fig. 4). This carries a pair of arms one, 67, of which is connected by a link 68 to an arm 69 on the shaft '70. The other arm 72 on the rocking shaft 66 is connected by a push rod 73 to a clamp 74 for clamping the web of wrapper behind the knives. A spring (not shown) normally holds the clamp in the off position.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a wrapping machine comprising a wrapping mechanism and an elevator for lifting articles in succession into said wrapping mechanism, the combination with said elevator of a picker, mechanism for reciprocating the picker in a substantially horizontal path so that said picker performs alternate forward strokes, to collect a wrapper, and rearward strokes, to feed the wrapper into position above the elevator, said picker comprising a fixed bottom jaw and a movable top jaw movable between open and closed positions, a link pivoted at its opposite ends to said jaws, an arm extending rearwardly from the top jaw, a member rotatably mounted in the bottom jaw, a crank pin in said rotatable member engaging a hole in said arm, and means for rotating said rotatable member and thereby, through said crank pin, arm and link, imparting forward and downward movement to said top jaw to close it and upward and rearward movement to said top jaw to open it.

2. In a wrapping machine comprising a wrapping mechanism and an elevator for lifting articles in succession into said wrapping mechanism, the combination with said elevator of a picker, mechanism for reciprocating the picker in a substantially horizontal path so that said picker performs alternate forward strokes, to collect a wrapper, and rearward strokes, to feed the wrapper into position above the elevator, said picker comprising a fixed bottom jaw and a movable top jaw movable between open and closed positions, a link pivoted at its opposite ends to said jaws, an arm extending rearwardly from the top jaw, a member rotatably mounted in the bottom jaw, a crank pin in said rotatable member engaging a hole in said arm, a spring between said arm and said bottom jaw for urging the top jaw to its closed position, and means for rotating said rotatable member and thereby, through said crank pin, arm and link, imparting forward and downward movement to said top jaw to close it and upward and rearward movement to said top jaw to open it.

3. In a wrapping machine comprising a wrapping mechanism and an elevator for lifting articles in succession into said wrapping mechanism, the combination with said elevator of a picker, mechanism for reciprocating the picker in a substantially horizontal path so that saidpicker performs alternate forward strokes, to collect a wrapper, and rearward strokes, to feed the wrapper into position above the elevator, said picker comprising a fixed bottom jaw and a movable top jaw movable between open and closed positions, a link pivoted at its opposite ends to said jaws, an arm extending rearwardly from the top jaw, a member rotatably mounted in the bottom jaw, a crank pin in said rotatable member engaging a hole in said arm, and means for rotating said rotatable member in one direction, at the conclusion of the forward stroke of the picker, to impart forward and downward movement to said top jaw to close it and in the opposite direction, after the picker has completed its forward stroke and the elevator has 5 risen into contact with the wrapper, to impart upward and rearward movement to said top jaw to open it.

4. In a wrapping machine, a combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein the means for rotating said rotatable member comprises a gear wheel on said rotatable member, a rack member pivotally mounted on said bottom jaw and a cam-operated lever for imparting oscillating movement to said rack member, said crank pin being disposed forwardly of and at substantially the same level as the axis of said rotatable member when the top jaw is closed and moving downwardly and rearwardly about said axis to open said top jaw.

5. In a wrapping machine comprising a wrapping mechanism and an elevator for lifting articles in succession into said wrapping mechanism, the combination with said elevator of a picker, mechanism for reciprocating the picker in a substantially horizontal path so that said picker performs alternate forward strokes, to collect a wrapper, and rearward strokes, to feed the wrapper into position above the elevator, said picker comprising a fixed bottom jaw, a movable top jaw and a link pivoted at its ends to said jaws, the pivot connecting the upper end of said link to said top jaw being located forwardly of the pivot connecting the lower end of said link to said bottom jaw when the picker is closed and said link being movable about said bottom pivot to a position in which said upper pivot is located rearwardly of said bottom pivot to open the picker.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

